Relay



J. H. HORMAN Oct. 2, 1945.

RELAY Filed June 11, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR d vflflmwATTORNEYS Oct. 2, 1945.

'J. H. HORMAN 2,385,858

RELAY Filed June 11.- 1943 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS PatentedOct. 2, 1945 RELAY JohnH. Horman, Tuckahoe, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to S poration, New York, N.

United States maller War Plants Cor- Y., a corporation of theApplication June 11, 1943, Serial No. 490,449

6 Claims. This invention relates to relays.

In a known type of relay, there is a contact arm pack in which aplurality of metal members or plates are superposed in parallel relationand are separated by insulating spacers and held against displacement bybolts from which the plates are insulated by insulating sleevessurrounding the bolts. Strips of Bakelite or other similar material havebeen used as spacers and the plates have been continuous between thebolts.

An object of this invention is to reduce the capacity effect betweensuccessive members in a contact arm pack of the type above mentioned anddecrease the separation between successive members to reduce the overallheight of the pack.

According to the present invention, the metal members or plates areseparated by annular ceramic spacers having hubs which fit intoapertures in the members and through which the supporting bolts pass,the hubs serving to insulate the members from the bolts. Each member iscut away between the spacers along the major portion of aline passingthrough the bolt centers with adjacent members being cut away onopposite sides of the center line. With this arrangement, the spacingbetween overlying portions of the arms equals the distance betweenalternate members rather than the distance between successive membersand there is an air gap between successive members in the space. betweenthe two stacks of ceramic insulators. The capacity effect betweensuccessive plates is, therefore, materially reduced and the spacingbetween the members may be lessened, thereby reducing the overall heightof the contact arm pack. Furthermore, the ceramic spacers are lessabsorptive of moisture than other insulating materials so that there isless likelihood of leakage developing between successive strips byreason of moisture accumulating on the spacers.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following specification and accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a relay embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1 looking from the right;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail views of contact arms.

An L-shaped plate It] has attached to one arm an iron core H enclosed bya wire coil l2 with the remaining arm of the L extending lengthwise ofthe coil. A second plate 13 is fixed to the last-mentioned arm of themember If] and extends beyond the end of the coil opposite the remainingarm of the plate. It! and is provided with apertured lugs 14. Aplate-like armature E5 extends across the free end of the core I l andhas apertured arms I 6. A pin I! extends through the apertures in thelugs I4 and arms IE to pivotally attach the armature [5 to the plate l3.In the armature is adjustably mounted a bolt 18, one end of which isengageable with the adjacent end of the core H. An arm [9 extends fromthe armature i5 longitudinally of the core and its end rests upon a stop20 supported by the plate 13. The structure up to now described has beenlong in use and forms no part of the present invention.

On the plate I3 is supported a contact arm pack made up of several rigidand several flexible members. These members are separated from eachother by spacers 2| composed of ceramic material and each having a hub22 fitting into an aperture in one of the aforementioned members. Bolts23 pass through the spacers 2| and are threaded into the plate l3 tohold said members in packed relation. The lowermost member 24 is a rigidcontact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 6. The next member25 is a flexible contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig.'7. The third member 25 is a rigid contact arm and is of the sameconfiguration as 24. The member 21 is a rigid contact arm and is of theconfiguration shown in Fig. 8. The member 28 is a flexible contact armand is of the configuration shown in Fig. 9. The member 29 is a rigidcontact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 8. The member 30is a rigid contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 7. Thetop member 3| is a flexible contact arm and is of the configurationshown in Fig. 6. The arms 24, 21 and 30 carry contacts 24a, 21a and 30arespectively on their upper faces only while the contacts 26, 29 and 3|carry contacts 26a, 29a and 3 la respectively on their lower faces only.The arms 25 and 29 carry contacts 25a and 25b and 28a and 28brespectively on both top and bottom faces.

In Figs. '7 and 9, each of the members is provided with a body portionthrough which the bolts 23 extend and an offset flexible portionextending from a point near the left bolt and the contact is attached tothe free end of this portion. Between the apertures each member is cutaway along the major portion of the line joining the aperture centersbut on opposite sides of such center line. In Figs. 6 and 8, the memberis provided with a body portion through which the bolts 23 extend andcontinues into an arm rightangled at its end and supporting a contact.Between the apertures the member of Fig. 8 is cut away similarly to themember of Fig. 7 and the member of Fig. 6 is cut away similarly to themember of Fig. 9. Thus, in the assembled contact pack, the metal betweenapertures in the successive members lies alternatelypnopposite" sides ofthe center line as illustrated in Figllfl and the spacing betweenoverlying portions equals the distance between alternate members ratherthan successive members. reduce the capacity effect between successivemembers. p

A button 32.0f insulating material is mounted on the free end of thearm-l9 andengages the free endof a flexiblemetal arm 33 projecting froma member 34 contacting the. member 25 and hav ing' aperturesthrough-whi-ch'the bolts 23 pass, the member .33 beingin electricalcontact with and of-generally similar shape to the member 25. A

This arrangementserves to button 'of insulatingmaterial is carried'bythe arm -25 and extends upwardly into engagement with the arm'28." Abutton 36'of insulating ma te'rial is carried byrthearm;3l and-extendsdownwardly into engagement with theycontact '28.

Upon energization of the electromagnet, the arm graph is found inthe-knownrelays ofthe type to which the invention relates.

The novelty of the present invention is centered in the. contact armpack per se.

It is of .courseunderstood that various .modificationsmay be made inthe:structure above described. withoutin any wayideparting: from thespirit of the invention as defined in the appended 1 claims. Forexample, while. the spacersll .have

been. disclosed as being composed .of ceramic ma-.- terial, it iscontemplated thatthe spacersmay be.. composed. of any; inorganic.insulating material. having electricaland mechanical properties simie.

lar .to steatite.

I claim:

1. In a relay, a plurality of parallel contact arms, a pair of supportsextending through said arms in spaced relation and a pair of annularceramic spacers between each pair of arms with one of said supportspassing through each spacer, the adjacent arms being oppositely cut awaybetween the spacers to reduce the'capacity between said arms.

2. In a relay, a plurality of parallel contact arms, a pair of aperturesin each arm, a pair of annular ceramic spacers between each pair of armsand having hubs located in said apertures and a support passing througheach set of spacers, successive arms being. alternately cut away alongthe major .portionof a line passing through the centers of saidapertures to reduce the capacity efi'ect of the'assembly.

3. In..a relay, a plurality of parallel contact arms, a pair of supportsextending through said arms in spaced relationand a pair of annularspacers between eachapair of arms: with one of said supports passingthrough each spa'cerythe adjacent arms being oppositelycutaway'between'the spacers-to reduce the :electrical capacity betweensaid armsand the. spacers being composedof an inorganic insulating.material' having" electrical and mechanical properties similar tosteatite.

4. In a relay, a pluralityof parallel contact arms, a pair of aperturesin each arm, a pair of annular spacers between each pair of arms andhaving hubs located in said apertures, and a support passing througheach set of spacers, successivearms being alternatelycut away along themajor portion of a line'connecting the centers to said apertures toreduce the capacity effect of the assembly and said spacer beingcomposed of an inorganic insulating material having electrical andmechanical properties similarv to steatite.

. 5. In a relay,.a plurality of parallel-contact arms, a pair ofsupports extending. through said arms .in spaced relation, an spacingmeans in-i sulating said arms. from said supports and from each. other,the adjacentarmsabeing-.opp9sitely cutaway. between the supports toreducetheca-v pacity between saidarmsv away along the majorportion of aline passing.

through the .centersof said apertures to reduce 1 the capacity effect of.the assembly.

JOHN .H..HORMAN...

